ResourceSet

ResourceSet is a base class in the System.Resources namespace used to represent a collection of localized resources for a specific culture. It is a fundamental part of the .NET resource management framework and is typically used behind the scenes by ResourceManager to expose culture-specific assets at runtime. A ResourceSet usually sources its data from a compiled resources file or a satellite assembly and provides access to resources by name.

The class offers a dictionary-like interface for retrieving resources, including methods such as GetObject and GetString to obtain values as objects or strings, and a GetEnumerator method to iterate over the available name/value pairs. It implements IDisposable, allowing the underlying resources, such as streams or readers, to be released when the set is no longer needed. ResourceSet delegates the details of storage and retrieval to an underlying resource reader, enabling on-demand loading and support for different storage formats.

Concrete implementations include RuntimeResourceSet, which reads resources at runtime from resources files, and ResXResourceSet, which handles resources defined in ResX files. The ResourceManager class relies on ResourceSet instances to supply resources and manages culture-specific selection and caching to improve performance.

Usage in typical applications is indirect: developers interact with ResourceManager to obtain culture-specific resources by key, such as strings or images, rather than manipulating ResourceSet directly. This abstraction supports localization by allowing applications to switch resources seamlessly according to the current UI culture, promoting separation of code and localized content.